The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 39

0llnctly ono of these lcinds. 'l'here are ample and significant indications that tlie ono expression, Jesus rnllcd unto him "whom he would" (Mark iii. 13), and our own willing estimate of his superlative Tmowledge, aro to be balanced with other considera- tions, both such as arise _from disciples' choice and disciples' 11olunteering (Joh:1 i. 37- 42), and from the essential facts of human nature. At all events, we do not know that Judas wns not a volunteer. He may have been an ardent, enthusiastic volunteer• ho may have been o. financial expert of his rank and day, who seems to sacrifice hri"hs business prospects in_ following Jesus, who takes credit, too, for it, and who by gen:ral consent becomes designated treasurer so soon as a treasurer was wanted (Luke viii. 3, and elsewhere). Do we not know something to-day of the busy and clever and ready- tongued volunteer, and of bis entrance within the pale of the Church visible'? It may in passing, just be noted that in the three parallel Gospels the name of Judas al way~ stands last, and is attended by the evangelistic remark, merely posthumous, that he was the traitor of his Master. 2. From the announcement of the call of the twelve di,;ciples Up to now, the closing days of Christ's life, not a syllable is to be read of Judas, except the damnatory remark of John vi. 71. 'l'he question of Jesus preceding that runnin"' llo11lmcnt belonged, of course, strictly to the occasion, but the running comment it:;e\f is merely historic. But the closing days are now come, And they bring this man to the fore. (1) He finds fault (or otherwise leads the fault-finding of himself and some others) with the loving devotion or a woman who, for priceless mercy received, brings the only present she knows to bring-a present, no doubt, of what was costliest in her treasures, and admitted by all to be both precious and costly-ointment with which to anoint the bead and feet of Jesus, And Judas says, "It's waste." And Judas asks, 1 ' Why was it not sold, and the hard cash put into the Master's bag for the poor, which I carry?" Yes, and the Evangelist St. John adds, probably in the light of after developments, from which he carried too, i.e. from which he stole. And Judas incurred the silencing and reproof of the Master, and he docs not forget that reproof. This was late as the fourth day of the fatal week. (2) At the en<l, or immediately after the end of the very next day (equivalent to the evenin_q which led in the sixt/; day), Judas also asks, "Is it I?" when the question was-Who among those twelve there was the traitor? and he is pronounced, by the lip and the hand of Jesus, the traitor; and he withdraws from the solemn, sacred, pathetic Supper scene! And again he goes with a word of the Master in his hearing, nor forgets it either. (3) Now but a few hours of night-time pass, when Judas reappears. It is into the Garden of Gethsemane-a place he knew, because he had been there often ,vith a Master who loved to go there often-that he eaters, no longer, for ever and ever no longer, the disciple of Jesus, but now the leader of a band, who lighted a way, that surely much needed light, "with lanterns ancl torches," and who bore "swords and staves" (Matt. nvi. 47-56; Mark xiv. 43-52; Luke xxii. 47-53; John xviii. 2-12). With a word and a kiss Judas betrays his recent Master, who asks him one gentle question," Friend, wherefore art thou come?" And like a shadow Judas vanishes again from our sight. (4) Once more, and once more only, does Judas come himself before us. He comes to show a certain violent repenting, an attempt at some sort of restitution and unreserved confession of his own individual sin; and for these the treatment that he gets from "the chief priests and elders" seems to ripen remorse aud madden despair, and, witness against himself, and jury, and judge, he becomes his own swift executioner also, all four in one terrible demonstration I It stands a witness to the end of time (and there cannot in this instance be a doubt that eternity looks on) of the avenging force that couches in ambush, in the being in whom God has implanted a moral constitution, when that constitutioQ is keenly affronted, wounded to the quick repeatedly, and iu aggravated form sinned against! Woe is to that being; it had been better for him that he had never been 1>oru I And now we have exhausted all the actual information recorded for us respecting the career of Judas. Let us ask- H. \VHAT DEDUCTIONS REGARDING THE IIEAL CHARACTER OP JUDAS W'III MAY BIii WARRANTED TO DRAW FII0M THESE MATEIUALS. It has been often thought thl\t the key to the opening of his character is held out to us in the one worcl covetousn,,ss, 'l'hls impression must be supposed to have been derived from the two facts-that he filched (rom "the bag," and that he asked money for the: iniquitous volunteered enterprise of ~,eing "guide to them that took Jes11sP '~.')le fo1;1p.4atjo» ls perhaps something slender • f~~ D  THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, [oH, L 1-26,